First of all I would like to say that I absolutely can't believe that I haven't updated for two years! Time flew by so fast. Damn.

It was around three in the afternoon and the house was quiet when Sai returned home. Having discovered their mother absent from the kitchen and the living room he concluded that she was either out shopping or visiting the neighbors. Since their father was still at his workplace and Itachi won't be coming home for another day, that left him alone in the house with Sasuke.

Now where the hell was his little sister?

She'd been acting unfavorably as of late, her exploit at the Hokage's office has been the hot topic of the village the past few days and exceedingly frowned upon, particularly by their relatives. And considering her recent misbehavior with their father it probably won't be long before she'd be personally chastised by the council of elders.

Most of the younger Uchihas support her decision of course since there was nothing particularly wrong about wanting to undertake the jounin exam. But the exam won't be easy. She has the resolve, but will she have the skills to succeed?

And there was that one issue he keeps setting aside. He tells himself time and time again that she was in a rebellious age, and this new Sasuke was simply a phase that would fade away given the right time and proper guidance.

And yet something about this Sasuke seemed different. In a span of a day she had changed from a smiling, affectionate, and well-mannered sister and daughter, to a frequently frowning, unsociable girl that gave no concerns for her insolence toward other people.

This person was no longer the sister who would silently watch him draw over his shoulder, or wait for Itachi to come home from his missions. She never talks about her day during dinner, rather she rudely talks back to their father, which she did occasionally, except this time it was no longer an indignant, childish tantrum.

Something was definitely different.

Or maybe he was just thinking too much. Perhaps it this was just a phase that would dwindle with proper guidance. Perhaps it was a childish attempt to get attention. That must be it.

Sauntering back to the front door to put on his sandals, Sai proceeded to devise a plan to bring his sister back in character.

A walk through the village eased her mind somewhat. She was surprised at some of the changes and equally amazed at what remained unchanged. She hadn't been here since she was twelve after all.

She froze in mid-step. She wasn't sure anymore. It didn't feel like she hadn't been away for long, and yet at the same time it did. There was only one reality. It was either this one or the other. She'd concluded earlier that the other one had been a very long nightmare, but it suddenly felt so real. A dream should not feel so real, surely not remembered so vividly.

There was no other rational explanation. She was probably just confusing a dream and mistakenly identifying it as actual event. That must be it. Anything else would be completely ridiculous.

Everything was spinning all of a sudden. Every step felt like she was lurching on unstable ground. She felt her limbs grow weak, felt herself falling…

A hand appeared on her arm.

"Are you alright?" A familiar voice. She turns around to meet his pale eyes. Hyuuga Neji, familiar character from her dream, together with the frowning mouth, and expressionless mien. They hadn't officially met in this reality.

His aura gave off a surprised recognition, and instantly the air between them turned almost malicious. A clash of character between them that they could not explain occurred instantly. A feeling one gave the other and vice versa, that they would not get along.

Their bodies still, hardly breathing, pale eyes staring boldly, carefully at the dark, equally-unflinching stare.

"Sasuke, aren't you supposed to be grounded?" Hostile gazes broke apart, his grip on her arm loosens then leaves. Sasuke turns to Obito's approaching figure. Kakashi, following half a step behind, met her gaze with his one grey eye, bearing an expression she could not figure out.

"Hello. Who's this, Sasuke, your boyfriend?" The comment immediately earns Obito two pairs of murderous glances, before going back to severely scrutinize each other once more. Whether he ignored the obvious unfriendliness of his young cousin and her companion, or perhaps he did not notice at all, none of the other three cared.

Fearlessly, Obito interrupts the glaring contest for the second time by grabbing Sasuke by the waist and hoisting her over his right shoulder, ignoring the angry protests by her arms and legs. He looks back at Neji.

"Sorry, kid. She's currently under house arrest. If you want to see her you can drop by the Uchiha residences anytime. I warn you though, were not going to give her away easily."

Neji watched them leave until he could no longer see them. In his mind lingered the indelible confrontation between him and Uchiha Sasuke.

The world was dark, warm, and soft, the air at her face humid and cool. The rain poured, lightly tapping the window and it was the first thing Sasuke heard and noticed beside the door sliding open and deep murmuring voices when her mind woke up. Floating thoughts came together in a brilliant moment of consciousness. Her hand twitched and the voices stopped.

"Sasuke?" She wished she couldn't hear him.

"I know you're awake." She wanted to pretend this was all just a strange dream. She wished it had been anything but a situation she couldn't ignore… but it wasn't, no matter how much she wanted it to be. Itachi's voice was still the same in sound, tone, manner.

Slowly and warily, she pulled herself into a sitting position with her body vaguely sore and stiff, the warm blankets falling away. She couldn't help but look toward her door where her brothers took a pause at to wake her from the obviously-long slumber.

The bedside clock read 11:46, which she usually spent on training back at Orochimaru's hideouts- or headquarters, as Kabuto always insisted. Recollections of the musty smell of damp, underground cavern walls, the glowing torches that never offered enough warmth, shrill screams that had taken her a while to get used to that rang through the halls at night, they were all fresh in her mind.

Yet, there was no mark to attest her betrayal to the village.

She unconsciously gripped the area where the mark used to be, feeling the pain yet not aware of her actions. She must have looked angry, perhaps even pained. She did not realize the wound she caused until Sai grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away.

"What are you doing?" He looked like he was angry but at the same time he didn't. She could not read him, only sensed the emotions that slipped out of his usually perfect control. She felt her blood trickle liquid warmth down her back and the side of her breast, seeping to the fabric of her sleeping kimono.

As he walked to their side, Itachi watched her too. Their black gaze were impassive and smoldering and Sasuke never lifted her eyes to meet theirs. She wasn't ashamed, she was not afraid. She just didn't want to look at them.

Sai loosened his grip and let out a breath of what could've been annoyance, but she couldn't be sure. She wouldn't talk, he knew that much. Itachi already exited to fetch a first aid kit.

Sasuke remained as she was on her bed, never shifting as her brothers aided the bloody crescent marks on her shoulder. She never spoke as Itachi led her down the stairs to the dining room where she nibbled on her lunch. Both brothers disappeared quickly after hastily eating and their mother was nowhere to be seen. Their father she'd never caught a glimpse of ever since the argument.

Yesterday had been an eventful day: sightseeing, a face-off with Neji, and a scolding from her loudmouth cousin Obito as he brought her home on his shoulder. It did not get better once they arrived.

Itachi, who had arrived earlier than expected, and Sai, who had been looking for her, waited for her arrival. Their expressions were completely closed off. She realized they were angry. After that was a two-hour lecture about manners, obedience, and responsibilities by the three older Uchihas, while Kakashi silently witnessed everything in the corner, concealing his interest with Icha Icha Paradise Volume 17.

Nearing the end of their sermon she had been presented with a large wicker basket full of ripe, juicy tomatoes, expecting her to run and hug them cheerfully like a happily bribed child, which of course, did not happen. She did accept the offering, although the mood between them definitely did not become any better.

Sighing tiredly, Sasuke left for her room to change, intending train for the rest of day.

Whenever I write a fem Sasuke fic I always think about confrontations with Neji, love scenes with Neji, etc. It is almost always Neji with Sasuke in my mind. I guess my favorite fem Sasuke pairing is with Neji.

This is looking like a NejiXSasuke to me. But what about Naruto and the others? They should have a chance! We'll see.

In a little over a week, I will start my first day as a third year university student. It means less updates. Sorry.